3 Keys to a Vibrantly Healthy Valentine’s Day

Valentines Day is the LOVE holiday…the day when we express our love to the special people in our lives.

The tradition of Valentine’s Day is believed to have originated from the pagan customs of the Third or Fourth Century B.C., when the Festivals of Purification were celebrated in Ancient Rome.   With the advent of Christianity, priests attempted to replace all ancient heathen practices, and in the fifth century A.D., they created its own holiday around the same date,  and selected a saint who to honor for his devotion to love.

Traditionally, Valentine’s Day is a day when health takes a  backseat as most people embellish their loved ones with chocolates, little candy hearts with sayings on them and all sorts of sweet, heart shaped treats and lavishly rich dinners.

What would it be like to enjoy the magic of your  Valentine’s Day love connections without compromising your health and your waistline?

Here are 3 key strategies that you can use to create new and memorable health promoting Valentine’s Day rituals.

1- Celebrate and thank the one person you can count on to be there every moment in your life, through thick and thin, good times and challenging ones and until you take your last breath…YOU. Do something special for yourself. Self love and care is health care. One of the best ways to improve the quality of your health and increase your energy and longevity is to consistently make time to reward and acknowledge yourself.

Take a minute right now to stroke and massage your shoulders, arms and hands. Doesn’t that feel great? Plan a time for a candle-lit hot bath, or an evening in bed to read, write or meditate. What’s your favorite pass time? What do you love to do? Reward yourself by scheduling time to do it. Schedule it right NOW.

Jot me a note in the comments box and let me know how you plan to show self love.

2- Create special treats for your loved ones using whole, fresh, organic and living foods.

As a special Valentine’s Day gift from me to you, I created a recipe sampler you can use and enjoy.

http://www.drritamarie.com/candy.htm

3- Make aphrodisiac foods a part of the celebration, to spark some passion into your love life.  These  traditionally include:

• Almond – aroma is supposed to induce passion in a female.
• Arugula – has been documented as an aphrodisiac since the first century A.D.
• Avocado – The Aztecs called the tree the “testicle tree”.
• Basil – Is supposed to stimulate the sex drive and boost fertility.
• Chocolate – contains PEA, a neurotransmitter that stimulates a feeling of love and connection.
• Fennel – a source of natural plant estrogen, fennel was used in the early Egyptian times as “libido enhancement”.
• Figs – An open fig is said to resemble the female sex organs and traditionally thought of as sexual stimulant.
• Garlic – is said to stir sexual desires.
• Mustard – is believed to stimulate the sex glands and increase desire.
• Pine Nuts – have been used to stimulate the libido as far back as Medieval times.
• Raspberries and Strawberries – are described in erotic literature as fruit nipples
• Vanilla – The scent and flavor is believed to increase lust.

Do you have any favorite aphrodisiac foods?  Submit your recipes and a description of the aphrodisiac properties of the food here:

http://www.drritamarie.com/newsletter/contributions/

I’ll be choosing one to publish in this month’s newsletter, which will be sent on Thursday February 18.

Please comment below… what are your valentines day plans?

Happy Valentines Day!

Remember to download your Valentines Day Recipe Sampler HERE and have fun!

With Love, Roses and Raw Chocolate Kisses,

Dr. Ritamarie

Protecting Yourself From the Flu: 5 Tips for a Strong and Healthy Immune System

It’s that time of year again.  As the autumn ushers out the warm and balmy sun filled days and the days grow shorter and shorter, we enter into the season that many associate with colds and flu.  This year we’re particularly aware of the flu season as reports fill the airways of the dangers of the swine flu and the miracle of the new vaccine.

Before you jump in and get in line with your sleeves rolled up, ready to have the flu shot, I suggest you do some research and make an informed decision.  The main ingredient in any vaccine is either killed viruses or live ones that have been weakened and made less harmful.

A hidden danger of flu vaccines is the chemicals they may contain, such as ethylene glycol (antifreeze), formaldehyde, phenol and thimerasol(mercury containing preservative) .  There has been legislation passed to remove thimerasol from all vaccines because it has been correlated with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.  That ban was lifted so as to get the swine flu vaccine to market faster.

While there is a lot of reliable information on the web about the swine flu vaccine, there is also a lot of garbage.  I have quotes below form what I believe are reliable sources.

Dr. Sherri Tenpenny one of the country’s most knowledgeable and outspoken physicians regarding the impact of vaccines on health, has a lot of good information about the swine flu vaccine as well as other vaccines.  I suggest studying her information before making a decision.  .

I found her article The Truth About the Flu Shot to be particularly enlightening.

An article was  published in Natural Health News last Monday called Vaccine Revolt.

In it, Mike Adams explores the hype and the dangers of the vaccine.  Here are a few highlights, interspersed with my comments:

1- more than fifty percent of moms are refusing to expose their children to the swine flu vaccine, and nurses and health practitioners across the US and UK are going vocal with their opposition to the vaccine.

2- Swine flu is actually no more deadly than a normal seasonal flu

3- While there is evidence showing that the vaccine produces antibodies,  the mere existence of vaccine-induced antibodies doesn’t directly translate into functional, real-world immunity!

4- The vaccine has not been properly safety tested by the FDA or the drug companies. They were approved by the FDA with a waiver,  bypassing the normal process of long-term safety testing that the public expects the FDA to enforce.

Dr. Mercola published several good articles on the swine flu vaccine.  One  called Squalene-The-Swine-Flu-Vaccines-Dirty-Little-Secret-Exposed discusses the dangers of the adjuvants put in vaccines, and this one in particular, squalene, that’s in the swine flu vaccine.

Here are a few highlights from Dr. Mercola’s article:

“The purpose of an adjuvant added to a vaccine is to enhance your immune response to the vaccination. Adjuvants cause your immune system to overreact to the introduction of the organism you’re being vaccinated against.

A study published in the American Journal of Pathology demonstrated that a single injection of squalene into rats triggered “chronic, immune-mediated joint-specific inflammation,” also known as rheumatoid arthritis.

Your immune system recognizes squalene as an oil molecule native to your body. It is found throughout your nervous system and brain. In fact, you can consume squalene in olive oil and not only will your immune system recognize it, you will also reap the benefits of its antioxidant properties.

The difference between “good” and “bad” squalene is the route by which it enters your body. Injection is an abnormal route of entry which incites your immune system to attack all the squalene in your body, not just the vaccine adjuvant.

Your immune system will attempt to destroy the molecule wherever it finds it, including in places where it occurs naturally, and where it is vital to the health of your nervous system. ”

I highly recommend that you read and research before deciding about immunizations for flu. There are lots of possible adverse effects.

You may be wondering how to protect yourself from the flu without the risks of the vaccine?  The secret is to build a strong immune system.

I’ve shared 5 ways below.    For more you can sign up to receive the recording of a teleclass I held a couple of weeks ago on this Immune Boosting, Flu Protection Strategies

1- Give you immune system the nutrients it needs to fight infection. These include Vitamin C, beta carotene, bioflavinoids, magnesium, zinc, B-vitamins and omega 3 fats.  And how do you get these nutrients?  My favorite sources are fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, root vegetables and raw seeds like flax, hemp, chia and pumpkin.  The best way to insure that what you eat has the highest nutrient content is to eat these foods in their fresh, raw, organic and natural state.  Fresh pressed green juices are extremely nutrient dense, as are green smoothies.

2- Get lots of fresh air and sunshine. Vitamin D is one of the key nutrients in immune health.  Studies show that you can knock out the flu within a few days by taking very high doses of oral vitamin D.  The best source of Vitamin D is the one made by your body when you’re exposed to natural sunlight during the peak UV times of the day, approximately 11AM -4PM.  If you’re unable to do this then you need a Vitamin D supplement

3- Cleansing your body from the inside out. Giving your system a rest from heavy foods, stress and constant activity allows it to get rid of the waste products that accumulate as a result of your busy lifestyle and exposure to toxins in food, air and water.  The simplest way I’ve found to cleanse is using Green Smoothies.  I conduct a guided green smoothie cleanse about 5 times a year and I never cease to be amazed at the results people get.  What better way to prepare yourself for the flu season that to do a Green Smoothie Cleanse. For details, refer to http://www.GreenSMoothieCleanse.com

4- Get plenty of rest and sleep. Studies show that the less sleep you get the more likely you are to get sick.  Your body repairs and cleanses from the day while you sleep.  If you sleep less than 4 hours a day, this ability is severely impaired, leaving you susceptible to illness.  Don’t chance it.  Get at least 6 hours of sleep each night, and 8 is closer to ideal.

5- Avoid sugar and processed food like the plague…because it is like the plague!  At this time of year it’s particularly pervasive.  Sugar abounds.  Halloween is coming in a couple of weeks, and with it the onslaught of candy and processed junk food.  Did you know that there is a 50% decrease in the effectiveness of your white blood cells to fight infection for up to 4 hours after eating just 2 teaspoon of sugar?  Imagine your poor immune system after Halloween, if you continue to eat the traditional treats.  There is an alternative. My book Healthy Halloween Treats is filled with delicious recipes and information to keep you healthy this year.  It’s available at http://www.drritamarie.com/Halloween

And speaking of Green Smoothies, we are proud and excited to be hosting a presentation on Friday October 23, featuring Victoria Boutenko, author of Green for Life and many other books, and her son, Sergei, author of Fresh and founder of Harmony Hikes, which specializes in leading wild edible walks and multi day adventures.

The seats are going fast, and we’re almost sold out.  If you’re interested in attending, you can register if you hurry over to  http://www.drritamarie.com/boutenko

The talk is in Austin Texas, but will be broadcast live over the internet to all over the world.  Replays are also available. To signup, go to

http://www.drritamarie.com/boutenko.

I wish for you the joy and freedom that a strong and healthy immune system brings.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Fermented Foods and Sprouts: Foods for Overcoming Chronic Fatigue and Exhaustion and Achieving Strength and Longevity

Most people don’t consider treating their chronic fatigue and exhaustion from their kitchen, yet there is magic and medicine in 2 very powerful foods that can be grown and made at home.  Two of the healthiest foods on earth…sprouts and cultured vegetables…have rekindled a place on my dinner table.

During our Get Your Green On Class, Chef Alicia got me motivated to try my hand again at sprouting.  She made it look so easy, and the sprouts were delicious and energizing.  The video recordings of the class are available at http://www.drritamarie.com/GreenClass.

In addition to demystifying the sprouting process, Alicia shared her  amazing recipe for Sprouts Salad with Tex Mex Dressing.  I could eat it all day.  In addition to 5 hours of recordings, all divided into 15 minute segments for your convenience, you’ll get a 50 page green recipe and resource guide, filled with instructions for greenifying your diet.  Become a greenitarian and get instant access to this life changing class.  fatigue and exhaustion will become distant memories when you learn to eat this way.

I really enjoyed the fermented foods class I attended earlier this week, taught by Lila Wilds, Healthy Living Practitioner, and Judith Henderson, Master Chef.

I brought home a jar each of

• Coconut Kefir
• Cultured Vegetables
• Kim chi.

These live foods,  rich in friendly bacteria, vitamins and enzymes are valuable additions to your daily diet.  It’s easy for your gut to get out of balance.  Things like birth control pills, antibiotics, steroid medications, antibiotics in commercially raised meat and dairy, sugar, processed foods and environmental toxins contribute to the loss of normal gut flora (microorganisms) and to overall decline in digestive function.  This can result in health challenges ranging from bloating and gas to arthritis, fibromyalgia and even cancer.

Incorporating fermented foods daily will help restore your healthy intestinal flora.  healthy flora is important for synthesis of B-vitamins, digestion of food and protection from unwanted critters down there.

Cultured vegetables are so easy to make.  Simply cut up a bunch of your favorite vegetables (I like to include kale or other dark green, sea vegetables, cabbage,  and carrots, along with herbs like ginger, garlic, and cayenne.  The possibilities are endless.  Grate the vegetables or cut them into small chunks then bruise them by smashing with a potato masher or even a clean wooden baseball bat.  Massaging with your hands works too,  and it’s a good workout.

Add some kefir starter, cultured vegetable starter or probiotics and let sit for 3-4 days.  i love the taste, and could eat them all day.

The combination pf sprouts and cultured vegetables can’t help but get your energy strong and your mind clear.  Try it and let me know how it goes.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

How Do YOU Protect Yourself From Cancer?

Cancer effects an alarming 42% of Americans, and that number is on the rise.  That’s a scary statistic, isn’t it?

Would you like to be another statistic, or would you rather  shift your odds in favor of cancer prevention rather than cancer promotion?

Diets high in red meat and low in green vegetables are associated with increased colon cancer risk. This according to the Journal of Carcinogenesis.

Green vegetables have been shown to have cancer protective effects when eaten regularly and in significant amounts.

In particular,  broccoli sprouts have been linked to protection from just about every kind of cancer known to modern science.  There are studies showing a protective effect in regards to stomach cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and skin cancer.  Apparently they contain a compound called sulforaphane, which protects cells from injury.

Other greens in the brassica family are also cancer protective.  Cabbage has been shown to protect against breast cancer as a result of compounds called glucosinolates and an enzyme called myrosinase.

So what other benefits do greens have? Well, they are packed with nutrients, especially vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, zinc, folate, lutein, beta carotene, chlorophyll and protein.  Yes, protein.  Greens contain a large percentage of calories as protein.  For example, broccoli is over 50% protein.

Green vegetables are the food most missing from modern diets, even those considered among the healthiest.    The standard American diet is approximately 5% greens.  A healthy percentage is considered to be close to 50%, which is about what chimpanzees eat.

Green vegetables have many life giving properties.   In addition to cancer protection, greens strengthen the blood and immune systems, and fight depression naturally by supplying a plethora of nutrients needed to make neurotransmitters.

The fiber in raw greens help to keep the digestive tract moving, and many people report that greens are energy-giving foods, increasing mental clarity and sustaining energy.  Foods in the brassica family…broccoli, kale, mustard greens, cauliflower, and cabbage, have been shown to speed the liver’s ability to detoxify ingested toxins.

Do YOU eat enough greens?

Studies show that those who eat greens daily are overall healthier than those who don’t.

Would you like to learn creative and fun ways to include more greens in your daily diet?  I’ve teamed up with Chef Alicia Ojeda to bring you the most comprehensive class on greens available.

In this class we’ll teach you you many ways to include the greens in your diet, including salads, soups, dips, dressings, marinades, slaws, roll-ups, smoothies and desserts.  YES DESSERTS!  You CAN make delicious deserts that include greens!  We’ll give you he scoop on sea vegetables, the richest mineral source of all, and show you delicious and easy ways to prepare them.

http://www.drritamarie.com/GreenClass

(One of my favorite ways to eat greens is kale chips, which we’ll teach you in this class. ) The kale brownies are amazing, too!!!.

Here’s the details.

http://www.drritamarie.com/GreenClass

This class will be presented live and in person, with a hands on sprouting segment, and broadcast over the web as well.

I hope you can join us in person on June 14, but if you can’t, sign up for the webcast and recordings.

Special pricing applies until June 1, and you’ll get access to the recordings of the webcast if you attend the live class.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Emotional Stress and Your Health: Techniques to Transform Your Stress to Fuel

I’m sharing this announcement with you because the Heart Math techniques have transformed my life. I’ve been using them for the past 5 years or so myself, and I’ve taught them to hundreds of patients and clients. I became a certified Heart Math Coach about 5 years ago. and have taught teleseminars on  Transforming Stress whichhave guided many people to overcoming the debilitating symptoms that chronic stress leads to.

Adrenal fatigue, chronic exhaustinon and degenerative diseases all stem from chronic stress.  When combined with  a diet high in raw and living foods, the heart math techniques have the ability to transform your life and magnify your energy. They has changed my life for the better. If you can fit this teleseminar into your schedule, I highly recommend it. I’ve already put it on my calendar.

A special HeartMath MicroTraining in May to benefit the nation’s service men and women will feature HeartMath medical director and author, Dr. Bruce Wilson, a prominent Wisconsin cardiologist. Dr. Wilson’s presentation is especially timely. Emotional Stress and Your Health, a one-hour Teleseminar presented by Wilson and psychologist Dr. Deborah Rozman, takes on added importance in light of a recent Gallup Poll. Representing 95% of the world’s population from 140 countries, the poll shows that positive emotions were a reliable predictor of better health and negative emotions were a reliable predictor of worse health, even when basic needs of food, shelter and safety were met.

Dr. Wilson, author of The HeartMath Approach to Managing Hypertension, has lectured about and taught HeartMath’s emotion refocusing and self-management tools for over a decade in hospitals, companies, school systems and with his own patients. He will share his story of why he got involved with HeartMath and address the beneficial effects that HeartMath methods and emotional management tools have on people with chronic diseases. Dr. Rozman, author of HeartMath’s Transforming Series books, will discuss practical ways you can reduce stress, anxiety, anger and other negative emotions in these difficult times.

Among those most in need of HeartMath’s scientifically developed tools and technology are returning combat troops and the nation’s veterans, and the Institute of HeartMath is offering this MicroTraining in their behalf.

HeartMath already has assisted a great number of military personnel and hopes to expand access to its tools to thousands more, especially those coping with the personal impact of war. All donations from those attending this May 30 Teleseminar will go directly toward the Military Appreciation Service Fund. (So we ask that if you find value in this event, please consider a contribution of $10, $25 or $35 to this fund.)

Wilson, formerly acute cardiac care director at the University of Minnesota and director of the University of Pittsburgh Heart Institute, has a private practice in Milwaukee, Wis. He is a clinical associate professor of medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin and serves as the medical director for IHM sister company, HeartMath LLC.

Co-presenter Rozman, co-CEO of Quantum InTech Inc., is a psychologist and author of numerous books, with over 30 years of experience as a business executive, educator and researcher in the psychology of consciousness. She serves on the Institute of HeartMath’s Scientific Advisory Board and is a key spokesperson for the HeartMath System.

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2009
Time: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. (PST)

Register for This Life Changing Teleseminar